Teens do not connect to programs; they connect to people! The most effective way to influence teens is through relationships. Our goal is to develop leaders who will walk the journey to Christ with teens.
Societal shifts have made the middle school years more difficult than ever. In addition, young people are also in the process of moving from being family-centered to friend-centered. Peers gain greater influence and parental authority is called into question. As they wade through all the difficulties of this time of life, they have real questions and need real answers.
If parish leaders, parents, and parishioners ignore the unique challenges of middle school youth, they risk losing them forever. According to the National Catholic Reporter, most Catholic youth stop identifying as Catholic at a median age of 13, long before they cease attending a parish; 80% of Catholic youth leave the Church by age 23!
That's why WE NEED YOU for our Middle School Core Team!
Our Middle School Core Team is the heart and soul of the middle school youth ministry experience. With over 60 registered youth for our program, we require at least 10 - 12 men and women who are paired together and charged with leading a small group. Without faithful and willing core team members, our mission cannot succeed!
Contact Christina Steele, Middle School Coordinator
middleschool@zionsvillecatholic.com
317.873.2885 x501
The main role of our Middle School Core Team is to attend weekly Edge/Rooted Nights as a small group leader. This is critical for relationships and will only be built if you come consistently.
Your role is a combination of relational ministry, catechesis, and youth ministry.
Gather: Youth come together and share a light meal or snack. Then, the theme of the night is introduced through a game or challenge.
Proclaim: A witness of faith is shared, along with Catholic teaching; no more than 10 – 15 minutes
Break: Following the Proclaim, teens break into small groups to continue the discussion and talk about how the teaching can be applied to their lives. Each group is then assigned adult mentors who will guide them during this time. This is the backbone of the Edge program.
Send: At the end of the night, teens come back together for final remarks, announcements, and closing prayer.
Commit to attending every Rooted/Edge night. 2022-2023 calendar COMING SOON!
Commit to our weekly agenda:
Come prepared in advance!
Have fun, but above all else, be the model of Christian faith – be authentic!
As a volunteer I will:
I understand that as a volunteer working with youth, I am subject to a thorough background check, including criminal history. I understand that any action inconsistent with this Code of Conduct or failure to take any action as outlined in this Code of Conduct may result in my being asked to no longer volunteer in my parish.
Diocesan Safe Environment
The Diocese of Lafayette-in-Indiana requires that all adult volunteers who work with children go through their online safe environment training. To complete the training, please follow ALL the steps below:
Once you request a background check, complete the courses and agree to the Code of Conduct, you will see “STOP” on your screen. Your certificates will not be issued until the results of your background screening are reviewed. This process typically takes a few days.
Once the background check is cleared, the certificates will be issued directly to the parish office. Your background check and training is good for 3 years.
ROOTED CORE TEAM
To make Rooted meaningful and holy, we need at least 14 adults to lead small groups. The overall curriculum is planned by Christina Steele, but the small groups are led by teams of 1-2 adults.
ROOTED SUBSTITUTE
Everyone gets sick sometimes and we need volunteers like you to fill in from time to time.
Please email Christina Steele to volunteer or for more information: middleschool@zionsvillecatholic.com
OTHER VOLUNTEER NEEDS
We'd like to offer special events outside of Rooted nights. We need a team of volunteers who are willing to help plan and execute social events throughout the year. We also need volunteers to oversee mealtime during our Sunday youth nights. If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities, please click below.
EDGE CORE TEAM
To make Edge meaningful and holy, we need at least 12 men and women to lead small groups. The overall curriculum is planned by Christina Steele, but the small groups are led by teams of 1-2 adults.
EDGE SUBSTITUTE
Everyone gets sick sometimes and we need volunteers like you to fill in from time to time.
Please email Christina Steele to volunteer or for more information: middleschool@zionsvillecatholic.com
OTHER VOLUNTEER NEEDS
We'd like to offer special events outside of Edge nights. We need a team of volunteers who are willing to help plan and execute social events throughout the year. We also need volunteers to oversee mealtime during our Sunday youth nights. If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities, please click below.